Harrisonburg High School English teacher Melody Wilson had a life on the stage before she even thought about teaching. She competed in several dance competitions and had later on ended up taking first place in the nation. After her win, Wilson also had the chance to talk to and dance with Michael Jackson one on one.

Wilson grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey and studied at Arthur Mitchell Black Dance Company. When Wilson was attending the dance school, it was the time period when African Americans were just making a breakthrough in the dancing industry.

“Unfortunately, for some African American dancers, we have a problem with how we are built. Not all, but some don’t have the traditional physique of ballet dancers. If you’re serious you usually get to a point when that hinders your chance on making it far, unless you were really good. Fortunately we don’t see this as big of a problem nowadays,” Wilson said. Wilson was one of the extremely talented ladies who made through despite her non-traditional build.

Wilson and many other young prestigious African Americans were put on a track, by Arthur Mitchell, that lead them into more into ethnic dances, modern dances, jazz and eventually tap which was Wilson’s forte. When Wilson got more and more into tap she became apart of another company called Phil Black.

“When I was 15, my mother said that she had heard of the program Hal Jackson. Jackson had this contest that was primarily for young African Americans girls but it wasn’t exclusive. So my mother took me to New York and she said ‘I’m just gonna have you go,’ so I went and I didn’t know what I was getting into. So I danced and I won out of the region,” Wilson said. Since Wilson had won she was then able to compete at the state level. After also winning the state competition, she had to go represent New Jersey in the International Contest that was held in California.

“I was like a Broadway type of girl. I was used to live stage, but out in L.A. everything was a bit different. In the pageant we met tons of celebrities and all of those stars were in this pageant. They were people who were judges, sponsors, contacts and also a lot of people who were in the Motown industry,” Wilson said. Wilson performed the contest before it was actually broadcasted. The night that the contest aired is when the judges had already picked the top ten that would compete for first place. There were many opening productions with group dances and songs.

“At the time you actually go into a recording studio before the show airs, and you actually tape the song. So you’re lip singing while you’re dancing so you don’t have that extra added pressure,” Wilson said.

In this contest Wilson ended up taking the win yet again. Jermaine Jackson, member of The Jackson Five and Switch, crowned her  for the accomplishment. A year afterwards it is customary for the winner to give up their crown for the future winner. Wilson had to go back to California and perform in the opening ceremony.

“That was the year that I met Michael Jackson. Michael was actually a judge when I competed and Jermaine was the host and was singing and dancing with his group. I never really got to meet Michael until the year that I gave up my crown,” Wilson said, “While the girls were out at the studio recording their stage production, I was out with nothing to do. So I’m sitting there and of course with my tap shoes because that year I perform my dance one last time. I am just out tapping and in comes Michael [Jackson] and I’m like this is way cool,” Wilson said. This was before Michael Jackson started getting into tap and before Thriller.

“Since he was learning tap, and I was there, we had this humongous two hour session where we were just dancing and sharing routines and just sharing steps and teaching one another,” Wilson said. Wilson described Michael Jackson, in that time period, as very sweet calm and that he had this high pitched voice.

“He was just a very sweet, sweet person,” Wilson said.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Teacher Melody Wilson after being crowned for winning the Hal Jackson's Talented Teen International of 1977.